German Love & Affection Vocabulary
This set covers the language of attraction and closeness in German, from the plain die Liebe to the more theatrical die Verführung and vernarrt. English speakers often assume verführerisch means something dangerous or villainous because of how "seduce" can sound in English, but in German it's routinely used for something as harmless as a seductive dessert on a menu. Note too that die Hassliebe packs "love-hate relationship" into a single compound, which is typical of how German handles emotional complexity.
Learn these 18 words
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All 18 words
romantic
Dieser Film ist sehr romantisch. — This film is very romantic.
fall in love
Ich bin total verliebt. — I am completely in love.
plural: die Küsse
kiss
Gib der Mama einen Kuss! — Give mommy a kiss!
- küssenB1
kiss
Er nahm sie in die Arme und küsste sie. — He took her in his arms and kissed her.
plural: die Lieben
love
Wir haben aus Liebe geheiratet. — We married for love.
plural: die Hassliebes
love-hate relationship
Ihre Hassliebe zu ihm ist kompliziert. — Her love-hate relationship with him is complicated.
- kokettB2
flirty / coquettish
Ihr kokett Lächeln war verführerisch. — Her flirty smile was seductive.
plural: die Liebespiele
lovemaking
Das Liebesspiel ist ein wichtiger Teil der Beziehung. — Lovemaking is an important part of the relationship.
plural: die Liebessprachen
a love language
Er sprach die Liebessprache der Aufmerksamkeit. — He spoke the love language of attentiveness.
plural: die Verehrungen
adoration / worship
Seine Verehrung für die Künstlerin war bekannt. — His adoration for the artist was well-known.
seductive / tempting / alluring
Die verführerische Musik zog alle in ihren Bann. — The seductive music captivated everyone.
plural: die Verführungen
seduction / temptation
Die Verführung war zu stark zu widerstehen. — The temptation was too strong to resist.
plural: die Verlockungen
allure / enticement / lure
Die Verlockung des Reichtums war unglaublich stark. — The allure of wealth was incredibly strong.
- vernarrtB2
smitten / infatuated
Er ist völlig vernarrt in diese neue Schauspielerin. — He is completely smitten with this new actress.
plural: die Ergebenheiten
devotion / submissiveness
Mit Ergebenheit diente sie ihrer Familie treu. — With devotion she served her family faithfully.
plural: die Schwärmereien
crush / puppy love / enthusiasm
Die Schwärmerei der Jugend ist süß. — The crush of youth is sweet.
effusive / infatuated / enthusiastic
Sein schwärmerischer Blick verrat seine Liebe. — His infatuated gaze betrays his love.
to idolize / deify / adore
Sie vergötterte ihren Filmstar. — She idolized her movie star.
How to learn this set
Nine of these words share the root Lieb- or Verführ-/Verlock-, so drill them as families rather than as isolated entries: die Liebe, verlieben, die Liebessprache, and die Hassliebe all lean on Liebe, while verführerisch, die Verführung, and die Verlockung all describe the pull of temptation from slightly different angles. Separate the reflexive verb sich verlieben (to fall in love, always with sich) from the plain verb lieben, since mixing them up is a common beginner error. For the C1 words like vergöttern, hegen, and umwerben, practice them in short sentences with a direct object, since all three are transitive and feel unnatural without one, e.g. Er umwarb sie drei Jahre lang.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Liebe and Verehrung in German?
Die Liebe is love in the general sense, between partners, family, or friends. Die Verehrung is more distant and reverent, like adoring a celebrity or worshipping a saint. You would not use Verehrung for a spouse unless you meant it almost ironically, as in placing them on a pedestal.
Is Schwärmerei the same as a crush?
Roughly yes. Die Schwärmerei covers both a romantic crush and a more general gushing enthusiasm, like being a Schwärmerei for a band or a city. The adjective schwärmerisch describes someone who talks about their feelings in an over-the-top, dreamy way, whether the topic is a person or a hobby.
Why does vernarrt use the word Narr (fool) in it?
Vernarrt literally suggests being made a fool of by your feelings, which is exactly the sense English gets at with infatuated or smitten. If you are vernarrt in someone, you are past ordinary liking and into slightly irrational territory.
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